Lawmakers urge stepped-up support for Ukraine

Several top congressional leaders on national security issues in both parties on Sunday urged the Obama administration to step up its support for Ukraine.

Appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. should help the Ukrainian military become “a more capable fighting force to resist” the Russian “incursion.”

“I do think we should be more forceful in supporting the Ukrainian government,” said the Washington state congressman.

Another Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez of New Jersey, urged the West to provide Ukraine with “defensive weapons.”

Menendez, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” insisted that Russia’s recent actions represented a “direct invasion” — a term President Barack Obama avoided during a Thursday news conference.

“Thousands of Russian troops are here with tanks, missiles, heavy artillery,” said the senator, who’s on a “fact-finding” trip to Ukraine.

And Rep. Peter King, a top Republican defense hawk, said on “Face the Nation” he agreed with Smith that the United States must ratchet up its support for Ukraine.

“It is important that we do arm the Ukrainians, allow them to defend themselves,” the New York congressman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, King said, “has to be told he cannot recreate a Soviet or Russian empire.”